The Unofficial Hive

NYT Spelling Bee answers & analysis

ABCELPO

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Words
56
Points
175
Genius
122
Pangram
1

Official answers

Show the 56 answersHide answers

Pangram highlighted. Click a word for its definition.

  • alcopop

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • allocable

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • aloe

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • baobab

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • bebop

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • blob

    noun — A shapeless or amorphous mass; a vague shape or amount, especially of a liquid or semisolid substance; a clump, group or collection that lacks definite shape.

    verb — To drop in the form of a blob or blobs

    noun — Acronym of binary large object. (a data type that allows storage of binary data often of indeterminate length).

    noun — In astronomy, a large cloud of gas. In particular, an extended Lyman-Alpha blob is a huge body of gas that may be the precursor to a galaxy.

    noun — A bubble; a bleb.

    noun — A small freshwater fish (Cottus bairdii); the miller's thumb.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • bloc

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • bloop

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • boba

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • bobble

    noun — Elasticated band used for securing hair (for instance in a ponytail), a hair tie

    noun — A furry ball attached on top of a hat.

    noun — A pill (a ball formed on the surface of the fabric, as on laundered clothes).

    verb — To make a mistake in.

    verb — To bob up and down.

    noun — A wobbling motion.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • bocce

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • bola

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • boll

    noun — The rounded seed-bearing capsule of a cotton or flax plant.

    verb — To form a boll or seed vessel; to go to seed.

    noun — An old dry measure equal to six bushels.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • bolo

    noun — A long, heavy, single-edged machete.

    verb — To attack or despatch with a bolo knife.

    noun — A soldier not capable of the minimum standards of marksmanship.

    verb — To fail to meet the minimum standards of marksmanship.

    noun — A string or leather necktie secured with an ornamental slide.

    verb — To dress (somebody) in a bolo.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • boob

    noun — Idiot, fool.

    verb — To behave stupidly; to act like a boob.

    adjective — Idiotic, foolish.

    noun — A breast, especially that of an adult or adolescent human female.

    noun — A prison; jail.

    verb — To make a mistake

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • booboo

    noun — A mistake or error.

    noun — (by or to young children) A minor injury, such as a cut or a bruise.

    noun — (by or to young children) Feces.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • boop

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • cacao

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 16 recorded puzzles.

  • callaloo

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • capo

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • cello

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • cloaca

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • clop

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • coal

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • cobble

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • coca

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 16 recorded puzzles.

  • cocoa

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 16 recorded puzzles.

  • cola

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • collab

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • cool

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 18 recorded puzzles.

  • coop

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • cope

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • elope

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • lobe

    noun — Any projection or division, especially one of a somewhat rounded form.

    noun — A clear division of an organ that can be determined at the gross anatomy level, especially one of the parts of the brain, liver or lung.

    noun — A semicircular pattern left on the ice as the skater travels across it.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • lobo

    noun — A wolf.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • local

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • locale

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • loco

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 18 recorded puzzles.

  • loll

    verb — To act lazily or indolently while reclining; to lean; to lie at ease.

    verb — To hang extended from the mouth, like the tongue of an animal heated from exertion.

    verb — To let (the tongue) hang from the mouth in this way.

    Appeared in 28 recorded puzzles.

  • lollop

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • loop

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • lope

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • oboe

    noun — A soprano and melody wind instrument in the modern orchestra and wind ensemble. It is a smaller instrument and generally made of grenadilla wood. It is a member of the double reed family.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • oleo

    noun — Margarine

    noun — The various fats and oils that go into the making of margarine.

    Appeared in 19 recorded puzzles.

  • opal

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • paleo

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • people

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • placebo

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • plop

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • pole

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • poll

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • polo

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • pool

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • poop

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 11 recorded puzzles.

  • pope

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • poppa

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 10 recorded puzzles.

placebo is a perfect pangram — all seven letters, each used exactly once.

Hints, no spoilers

Words by first two letters

  • al×3
  • ba×1
  • be×1
  • bl×3
  • bo×9
  • ca×3
  • ce×1
  • cl×2
  • co×9
  • el×1
  • lo×9
  • ob×1
  • ol×1
  • op×1
  • pa×1
  • pe×1
  • pl×2
  • po×7

Words by first letter and length

456789Σ
a 1··1·1 3
b 833··· 14
c 833·1· 15
e ·1···· 1
l 612··· 9
o 3····· 3
p 7211·· 11
Σ 33109211 56

The numbers

Genius today takes 122 points of 175 available. The average answer runs 4.8 letters.

Total points vs. all 381 recorded puzzles
37th percentile
Word count vs. all recorded puzzles
74th percentile

Word lengths, today vs. 17278 recorded answers

433 today34.6% all-time510 today22.8% all-time69 today19.9% all-time72 today12.1% all-time81 today6.3% all-time91 today2.6% all-time101.2% all-time110.3% all-time120.1% all-time130.0% all-time

History

Today's letters, last seen

LetterLast in a puzzleLast as center
a Monday, January 12, 2026 Thursday, January 8, 2026
b Tuesday, January 6, 2026 Monday, December 29, 2025
c Monday, January 12, 2026 Saturday, January 3, 2026
e Tuesday, January 13, 2026 Friday, December 5, 2025
l Tuesday, January 13, 2026 Tuesday, December 9, 2025
o ● Sunday, January 11, 2026 Saturday, December 6, 2025
p Sunday, January 11, 2026 Sunday, January 11, 2026

Most common answers, all recorded puzzles

  1. noon 42
  2. naan 30
  3. nana 30
  4. onion 29
  5. toot 28
  6. loll 28
  7. mama 25
  8. mamma 25
  9. cocoon 23
  10. loon 23
  11. nene 23
  12. acacia 22
  13. acai 22
  14. bill 22
  15. neon 22
  16. none 22
  17. olio 22
  18. aria 21
  19. onto 21
  20. toon 21
  21. cancan 21
  22. canna 21
  23. lilt 20
  24. till 20
  25. tilt 20

Valid words the Bee rejected

Dictionary words the Bee never takes

Legitimate words (per the ENABLE list) that fit the letters but aren't official answers — usually judged too obscure.